Travel pillows provide a stable support for the neck. The pillows are typically small and easily stored within luggage. Some travel pillows have a foam core with a fabric cover. The fabric cover can be removed for cleaning. Some travel pillows have a U-shape that wraps around the neck of the user. The U-shaped travel pillow rests on the shoulders of the user and supports the neck and head in an upright position. This allows the user to relax and rest while sitting in an upright position.
Travel conditions often involve being surrounded by people in close quarters. Being in close proximity with a variety of people increases the risk of catching an airborne illness. In addition, vehicles, such as buses, trains, and airplanes, often contain dust and a variety of other foreign airborne particles that can exacerbate allergies. To address these concerns, a variety of filters have been developed to clean the air surrounding an individual. Some filters propel air through a filter material. The filter material allows the air to pass through while the filter catches and traps particles. The filter material is then periodically replaced or cleaned. The filter material can also be laced with chemicals that kill or neutralize germs and bacteria. In addition to neutralizing germs and bacteria, some chemicals are used that absorb odors and objectionable gases.
Another type of air filter is an electrostatic precipitator filter. This type of filter uses an ion generator to inject ions into the stream of air being filtered. The negatively charged ions attach to foreign particles in the air. The air stream passes by positively charged plates. The foreign particles, now negatively charged due to the attached ions are pulled towards the charged plates and magnetically attach to the charged plates. The charged plates are periodically removed and cleaned.
The above described air filters can be used in combination to provide a greater degree of air filtration. For example, a stream of air first can be filtered through a filter material to catch particles having a relatively large diameter. In the next stage, an electrostatic precipitator filter can be used to remove smaller particles that pass through the filter material.
Some of the above filters allow the nature convection currents of air to drive the air though the filtration process. The electrostatic precipitator filter can use the electrostatic forces of the charged particles to pull the surrounding air through the filter. In addition, some filters use a fan or other device to drive a flow of air through the filtering process. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned filters are typically large or cumbersome.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.